Reuters reported, citing sources in Mali's security services, that Defense Minister Sadio Camara was killed in an attack by jihadists on his home.
"Sadio Camara was killed as a result of an attack on his home in Kati, near Bamako, on April 25," Jeune Afrique wrote. The attack, attributed to the Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimeen (JNA), is believed to have been carried out using a car bomb driven by a suicide bomber, triggering a powerful explosion that completely destroyed the minister's home.
On Saturday morning, militants from the Jamaat Nasr al-Islam wal-Muslimin alliance and Tuareg rebels under the banner of the Front for the Liberation of Azawad launched a coordinated attack on Bamako, the towns of Kati, Sivari, Gao and Kidal, and later the General Staff announced that the situation in these areas was under control.
Previous denial
The Ministry of Defence of Mali confirmed that Minister Sadio Camara was not injured during the attack on his residence on Saturday morning. AA news agency quoted the ministry as saying.
According to the information received, the minister's residence, located inside the military base in Kati on the outskirts of the capital, Bamako, was attacked by a car bomb, which led to the almost complete destruction of the building, and informed sources indicated that the minister was not at home at the time of the attack.
Kati is Mali's largest military base, home to one of Malian President Assimi Goita's residences, as well as homes inhabited by ministers.
Malian army: At least 80 militants killed in clashes
Malian army spokesman Souleymane Dembele announced the elimination of at least 80 militants involved in attacks on government positions across the country on Saturday.
"The enemy has suffered heavy losses on every axis, as it clashed with the security forces," the spokesman said in a televised speech, while the Malian army chief of staff announced that the security forces had repelled all attacks and were in control of the entire situation in the country's territory.
According to the Malian army, the attacks, which targeted about 10 cities, were co-ordinated, using heavy weapons, drones and car bombs.
Sharp security and political escalation in Mali
Mali is witnessing a serious security escalation and increasing political tension, with the expansion of armed operations and their arrival in the capital Bamako and other major cities, in parallel with the continuation of military rule and tightening restrictions on political life.
The attacks resulted in a wide shake-up in the security scene, especially after Tuareg rebels in the Azawad Liberation Front, in cooperation with al-Qaeda's Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimin, announced full control of the northern city of Kidal following the withdrawal of government forces and mercenaries from Russia's Africa Corps.
On the military front, Mali has replaced Russia's Wagner forces with the Africa Corps, which operate under the direct supervision of the Russian government, with the aim of supporting field operations against armed groups in the north and center.
Politically, General Assimi Goita continues to lead the transition under a charter amended in June 2025 that gives him a five-year renewable presidential term until at least 2030, without immediate elections.
Economically and humanitarianly, the capital, Bamako, is suffering from near-total paralysis as a result of a blockade imposed by al-Qaeda-linked groups on fuel imports, which has led to record price hikes and severe supply shortages.
International organizations estimate that more than 5 million people – 1 in 5 Malians – are in need of urgent humanitarian assistance, as displacement increases and basic services collapse in the north and centre.